Egypt dedicates $14m to protecting coral reefs

Egypt has recently launched an innovative $14 million initiative known as the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative.

In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this project aims to protect and preserve the Red Sea's coral reefs, which are recognised as some of the most resilient and diverse in the world.

The initiative, running from 2024 to 2030, will focus on preserving approximately 99,899 coral reefs along Egypt's Red Sea. Specifically, conservation efforts will target 13,637 reefs within the Wadi El Gemal National Reserve in southern Egypt and 50,612 reefs in the Red Sea Northern Islands Reserve.

Voices from the field

Several commentators on the new initiative have explained what the project’s outcomes will mean for Egypt.

Egypt’s Environment Minister, Yasmine Fouad, stated in a press release that this initiative is an important step in the national effort to protect Egypt's natural heritage.